ROYAL NAVY SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMAND - ROYAL NAVY S T 12 SHIPS
5)ST. WISTAN (ARMED TRAWLER)
Photo. www.naval-history.net Sister ship HMT Islay by IWM FL 14120
Completed 1939
Displacement: 455 tons
Length: 138 ft
Beam: 23 ft
Draught: 13 ft
Propulsion: 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine, 1 screw
Armament: 1 4" gun, 2 .5" AA (1x2), 2 MG AA.
Complement: 30
St. Wistan, T 105 was part of 6th Anti-Submarine Group based at Freetown along with trawlers KELT, SPANIARD, TURCOMAN, and BENGALI, PICT, both at Lagos.
On 24 Sep 42 St Wistan along with HMS Petunia rescued the master, 44 crew members and six gunners from British ship Bruyère sunk in the previous day by U- 125 in position 04º 55’ N 17º 16’ W. They landed at Freetown. Bruyère was loaded with 6729 tons of foodstuffs and general cargo.
On 16 Aug 42 St Wistan spotted three separated boats from US merchant Cripple Creek sunk three days earlier by U-752 in pos. 04º 55’ N 18º 30”W . The British armed trawler managed to round up all boats and landed the survivors in Freetown. Cripple Creek was loaded with 7500 tons of War supplies.
